Bullet hole gauge



May 17, 1938. F. MUHAKENJOS ET AL 2,117,317

BULLET HOLE GAUGE Filed Feb. 8, 1957 Jim?" Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BULLET HOLE GAUGE of New York Application February 8, 1937, Serial No. 124,718

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bullet hole gauges used for scoring targets in connection with rifle and pistol matches and the like and has for one object to provide a single 5, convenient gauge which may be used interchangeably to score targets having shot holes made by a plurality of different size bullets.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

In rifle and pistol matches a number of different types of cartridges and bullets are used. The most common are 22 caliber, 38 caliber and 45- caliber. Each target ordinarily has in it bullet holes of one caliber only. The competitor is given the value of the target ring of highest value touched by the bullet. The target is paper and the bullet when it passes through the paper makes a hole but because of the flexibility of the paper, the hole contracts slightly and is always 20 somewhat smaller than the bullet. In cases of close shots, it is necessary to gauge the bullet hole and this is being done by putting in the target a bullet of the size that was shot or preferably a bullet gauge and this bullet gauge then can be compared with the target for the purpose of determining whether or not the bullet itself struck the ring. It has been common in the past to have a plurality of separate gauges one for each bullet. We propose to provide a single gauge which may be used to score targets having for instance three different sizes of bullet holes as above indicated so that the score keeper who is marking difierent types of targets will always have in his hand a gauge which he may use for any target he may be called upon to score.

This invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of a target showing the gauge in use;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the gauge in the position to score a 22 caliber hole;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the gauge in position to score the or 38 caliber bullet hole;

Figure 4 is a section in part elevation through the gauge;

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal side elevation in part section through a modified form;

Figure 7 is a section along the line 1-'| of Fig. 6;

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are longitudinal elevations in part section of further modified forms.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawing.

l is a target of paper, cardboard or the like. It has a bulls eye 2, containing white scoring rings 3, the bulls eye being black or dark colored. Round the bulls eye area series of black scoring rings 4. A competitor is given the value of the ring of highest value which his bullet touches. They are scored ordinarily in the order 0:: for t e t r 9, 8n, 7):, 6, 5n 6 and l are bullet holes. Bullet holes 5 and 6 are close to the scoring ring, 1 is not and can be scored by inspection. 6 just fails to touch the ring 5, as shown by the gauge in place it just touches the ring and so the competitor gets the highest value.

The gauge comprises a shank 8 having at one end an integral extension with a round nose 9, and terminating in a belt ID. This belt I0 is the exact diameter of the bullet. At the other end is a head ll, also having a round nose l2 and a belt l3 of the diameter of the 38 caliber. This head is threaded on the shank. Slidable on the shank is the 45 caliber head l4, having a round nose 5, a belt I6 of the exact diameter of the 45 caliber bullet and in the end an annular recess ll of such size and diameter as to snugly fit over the belt on the 22 caliber so that when the 45 caliber head is pulled down over the 22 caliber head, the 22 caliber belt is hidden and the rounded end of the 22 caliber plug projects beyond the 45 caliber plug and can be used as a guide to assist in inserting the big plug into the big hole.

The 45 caliber head or plug is slidable on the shank and may be drawn back out of the way above the operators fingers when the 22 caliber plug is to be used. When pushed down against the 22 caliber head, the gauge can be used interchangeably either for 38 scoring at one end or 45 at the other. Under many conditions, it is not necessary to provide any means to hold the plug heads in fixed position. The 45 caliber head makes a snug fit on the shank and friction is suflicient or the fingers of the operator will hold the 45 plug out of the way. If desired, however, the shank may have a plurality of holes adapted to register with a hole in the back of the 45 caliber plug and a pin 18 may be pushed through the registering holes to lock the parts in position. If desired, a. spring l9 may be inserted in the 45 caliber plug to engage the shank and hold it by friction engagement into adjusted position as shown in Figure 10.

In Figure 6, the shank 8 is longitudinally slotted as at 20 to carry an umbrella type spring 2| having bosses 22 at each end adapted to engage inwardly projecting ribs 23 on the caliber head. The boss 22 has sloping sides so that it may with a slight increase of pressure he forced into or out of position.

In the modified form shown in Figure 8, the 45 caliber head is internally threaded as at 24 to engage screws 25 at each end of the shank. In the modification shown in Figure 9, the 45 caliber head is interiorly tapered in opposite directions as at 26 to engage corresponding tapers 27 on the ends of the shank.

If desired, the cylindrical surfaces in, I3 and I6 may be highly polished or coated with a highly polished reflecting surface as by bulhng, chromium plating or the like. When this is done, this surface becomes a magnifying mirror and assists in determining whether or not the bullet has touched the inner scoring ring.

We claim:

1. A bullet hole scoring gauge for targets and the like comprising an elongated relatively stiff shank, a small scoring plug rigidly mounted on the end of the shank and a larger plug slidable along the shank toward and from the smaller one, each plug comprising a cylindrical target penetrating portion, a rounded target penetrating head and a gauging belt of larger diameter than the cylindrical target penetrating portion, the larger of the two plugs having a central annular recess of substantially the same diameter as and of substantially the same depth as the width of the gauging belt on the smaller plug, whereby when the plugs are brought together, the recess in the larger one is just filled by the belt on the smaller to permit the smaller plug to serve as a target penetrating guide for the larger.

2. A bullet hole scoring gauge for targets and the like comprising an elongated relatively stiff shank, a small scoring plug rigidly mounted on the end of the shank and a larger plug slidable along the shank toward and from the smaller one, each plug comprising a cylindrical target penetrating portion, a rounded target penetrating head and a gauging belt of larger diameter than the cylindrical target penetrating portion, the larger of the two plugs having a central annular recess of substantially the same diameter as and of substantially the same depth as the width of the gauging belt on the smaller plug, whereby when the plugs are brought together, the recess in the larger one is just filled by the belt on the smaller to permit the smaller plug to serve as a target penetrating guide for the larger, means for locking the sliding plug in interlocking position with respect to the smaller plug and for locking it in position at a point far removed from the smaller plug.

FREDERICK M. HAKENJ OS. CHARLES B. LISTER. 

